Combined distilling and cracking process and apparatus therefor



Feb. 21, 1928. 1, 59,930

M. J. TRUMBLE COMBINED DISTILLING AND CRACKING PROCESS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 8. 1924 v Y Z Z/ PRIME Mal/[,4

Z5 Pfi/MARV cfazvanvsze I 5/ 55 PUMP 6 5 45 stroll/DAR): cawozwzk I 4- 62 f CRACK/N5 5771-1- fl -;e;;

fji/l fl/fflfi. Mu. cw. J. Dru/Va 5.

- Patented Feb. 21,1928.

MILON J. TRUMBLE; OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I

COMBINED DISTILLING AND CRACKING PROCESS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Application filed September a, 1924. Serial No. 736,434.

My invention relates to the art of producing volatile hydrocarbons from raw materials such as shale, coal, lignite and the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide a process and apparatus bygwhich the hydrocarbon content of such solid materials may be removed and converted into low boiling point hydrocarbons.

It is a well knownfact that solid raw materials of the general character described above are capable of yielding hydrocarbon oils which, however, do not at the present time have anyconsiderable importance in the United States, due to the character of the oil ordinarily produced and the excessive cost of production when produced by the present well known means.

It is an obiect of my invention to provide a process and apparatus by which low'boilingpoint hydrocarbons having a high commercial value can be economically produced. v

Further obiects and advantages of the. in

vention will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is entirely diagrammatic,

I employ a retort 1, a prime. mover 2, a primary condenser 3, a cracking still 4. a secondary condenser 5, and a transfer pump 6.

The retort 1 may be of any convenient form suited to operate under pressure and adapted to be readily charged with the raw material to be treated. It is provided with a pipe 11 .for the admission of steam which is used as a heating medium and vapor is taken ofl through a, pipe 12. This vapor mav be at a pressure of 150 pounds or more,

' and substantially saturated under the exist- 40 ing conditions of temperature (below 800 F.) and pressure. This vapor is delivered to the prime mover 2. which consists of a steam turbine reciprocating engine or the like directly connected to an electric generator 21. In the prime mover 2 the expansive force of the. vapor is used to produce electric power, which is delivered by the generator 21.. The vapors from the exhaust side of the prime mover 2 are delivered through a pipe 23 into the primary condenser 3. This condenser is preferably water-cooled. water being delivered thereto through a'pipe 31 and removed through a pipe 32. Certain uncondensed portions of thevapor may be delivered through a pipe 33 to the secondary condenser 5, where they are condensed and delivered through. a pipe 51 to suitable storage, not shown. The condensermay be cooled by cooling water delivered through a pipe 52 and withdrawn through a pipe 53. The heavier condensatesproduced in the primary condenser 3 are delivered through a pipe 61- to the transfer pump 6 and are forced by this .pumpthrough. a pipe 62 into the still 4. This still may be any convenient form of cracking still, with suitable heating means,

not shown, such as direct fire, steam or the like. The heating means should be capable of sufliciently raising the temperature of the oil in. the still 4to produce a cracking reaction. The vapors delivered through the pipe43 from the still 4 may be at a temperature of about 800 degrees Fahrenheit. These vapors are delivered into the pipe 12 and by this pipe are delivered to the prime mover 2. The method of operation is as follows:

The retort 1 being charged with any of the above specified raw materials, steam is applied thereto through the pipe 11 and the hydrocarbons carried" in the raw material are distilled and carried. over with the steam through the pipe 12 to the prime mover 2, where they are utilized. The exhaust gases from the prime mover pass to the primary condenser 3, where the heavier portion is condensed'and delivered under pressure by the pump 6 into the cracking still 4. The lighter portion of these vapors passes through the primary condenser 3 without material condensation, and are condensed in the secondary condenser 5, being delivered as a final product through the pipe 51. At the present time it is mosteconomical to run the apparatus so that gasoline and certain valuable by-products are delivered through the pipe 51. The heavy condensates delivered through the pipe .62 are subjected to suflicient heat and pressure in the still 4 to cause a cracking reaction to take place, and the vapors passing over through the pipe 43 consist largely of gasoline.

The conception of mixing the, low temperature vapors from the retort 1 with the high temperature vapors from the cracking still 4 is original with me, and produces certain new and useful results. The vapors from the retort 1 are substantially the usual heavy oil vapors produced by the distillation of solid raw materials, such as shale, coal, or the like. The vapors are substantially saturated vapors containing high.

boiling point tars and oils which will readily condense if the vapors are even slightly cooled. g

If an attempt-were made to operate the prime mover 2 on such vapors, there would be an immediate deposition of these tars on the various surfaces of the primemover,

' with consequent'clogging of the mechanism,

rapid wear of the parts, and ultimate stoppage.

The vapors from the still 4 are, however, almost wholly low boiling pomt vapors which, when condensed, 'form gasoline or other solvent oils. By combining the vapors from the retort 1 and the still 4 1n the pipe 12, I form a combined vapor at a higher temperature than the retort vapors, thus preventing subsequent condensation of the tars therefrom in the prime mover 2 and thus making possible the continuous operation of the prime mover 2.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for refining hydrocarbons comprising: a retort adapted to receive raw mover; and means for supplying oil to said cracking still. I M v v 2. An. apparatus for refining hydrocarbons comprising: a retort adapted to receive 'raw material yielding vapors too cool and heavy for use alone in a prime mover; means for heating said retort to a sufiicient tem-.

perature to cause a distillation of said heavy vapors from said raw material; a cracking still; means for heating the cracking still to aconsiderably higher vtemperature than the average distillation temperature in said retort; a prime mover;.means for passing the combinedva'porsfrom said retort'and said cracking still through said; prime mover; means for condensing a portion of the exhaust vapors from said prime mover; and means for passing the condensateso produced into said still- 3. An apparatus for refining hydrocarbons comprising: a retort adapted toreceive raw material yieldingvapors too cool and heavy for use alone in a prlme mover; means for heating said retort to a sufiicient temperature to cause a distillation of said heavy vapors from said raw material; a

cracking still; means for heating the cracking still to a considerably higher temperature than the average distillation temperature in said retort; a prime mover; means for passing the combined vapors from sa d retort and said cracking still through said prime mover; means for condensing a portion of the exhaust vapors from said prlme mover; a pump; condensed portion of said exhaust-vapors to the suction side of said pump; and means for delivering said portion under pressure from said pump-into said still.

4. An apparatus for refining hydrocarbons comprising: a retort adapted to receive raw material yielding vapors too cool and heavy for use 'alone in aprime mover; means for passlng-steam' 1nto said retort to means .for delivering the cause a distillation of said heavy vapors from said raw material; a crackin still; means for heating 'the cracking stilto a considerably higher temperature than the average distillationtemperature in said retort; a prime mover; means for passin the combined vapors from said retort an said cracking still throu mover; and means for supp ying oil tosaid cracking still.

5. An apparatus for refining hydrocara bons comprising: a retort adapted to re- 'ceive raw material yielding vapors too cool and heavy for use alone in a prime mover; means for passing steam into said retort to cause a distillation of said heavy vapors from said raw material; a; crackin still means for heating the cracking sti l to a considerably higher temperature than the average distillation temperature in said retort; a prime moyer; means for passing the combined vapors from said retort and said cracking still through said prime mover; means or condensing a portion of the ex haust vapors from said prime mover; and

means for passing the condensate so produced into said still.

6. An apparatus for refining hydrocarraw material yielding vapors too cool and heavy for use alone 1n a pnme mover means for passing-steam into said retort to.

h said primebons comprising: a retort adaptedto receive I considerably higher temperature than the w average distillation temperature in said retort; a prime mover; means for passing the combined vapors from said retort and saidcracking still through said prime movjer; means for condensing a portion of the exhaust vapprs from said prime mover; a pump; means for delivering the condensed portion of said exhaust vapors to the suction side of said pump; and means for delivering said portion under pressure from said pump into said still.

7. A method of obtaining power, incidentally to the recovery of values from carcombined vapors through a prime mover bonaceous materials initially yielding vaand thence through a condenser. pors too cool and heavy for successful use In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 10 alone in the operation of a prime mover, my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 5 which comprises: combining such vapors not 2nd day of Sept, 1924.

only with steam but with hotter vapors from a cracking still and thereafter passing the MILON J. TRUMBLE. 

